HP LP2475w

It's probably fair to say now that 24in displays are the most desirable of the common screen sizes - the usual 1,920 x 1,200 resolution means that you can play 1080p video without the need to crop, while editing photos is far more pleasing on a 24in screen than a 22in or 19in. Add to this the fact that high-res games on a large 24in screen look amazing and are far more immersive than on smaller screens, and you can see why many of the bit-tech desks are home to at least one 24in screen. However, we've never seen such a diverse offering in the 24in category as we have at the moment.

As well as screens offering the usual 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, there's an increasing number of slightly smaller 1,920 x 1,080 displays too. These may be able to handle 1080p content and offer a larger viewing area than 20in widescreens, but coupled with the awkward reduction in vertical viewing space aside, we've yet to find one that's as desirable as 16:10 aspect 24in screen, although many are temptingly cheap.

It might appear that what we have dubbed 'true' 1,920 x 1,200 24in displays are on the back foot following the sudden influx of these smaller, often less capable models, but thankfully the former are still being pushed out the door and are looking better than ever. Clearly, with several years of R&D behind them, we expect a lot of modern 24in displays, be they PVA or TN based panels. However, as the HP LP2475w retails for a slightly eye watering £436/$534, it'll have to be nothing short of impressive to rack up a decent score here at bit-tech.

The first batch of LP2474w shipped with S-IPS panels, but since then HP has fitted an H-IPS panel, which generally gives more accurate colours the tried and tested PVA and much better contrast and image quality than TN panels. This panel change explains the difference in image quality we've seen between this panel and the supposedly identical display we looked at some months ago in Custom PC. More on this later.

One thing's for sure though: a display should be one of your most important purchases. Yes, you need a PC fast enough to run your applications and games properly, but what we're trying to emphasis here is the fact you use your screen and look at it every time you use your PC. Your screen determines how good your games and videos look, and how accurate the colour reproduction of your photos will be. It also has a big say in your online experience too, as well as with simple word processing, with the ability to display clean vibrant white backgrounds and crisp text. In short, if there's one area that's worth investing a bit of hard earned cash in, it has to be with your display. An investment it will be too - a good screen can last you for many years ,unlike a processor or graphics card which often show their age after just 12 months.